Valve control for fuel oil heaters



Jan. 28, 1947. H. G. JOHNSON 2,414,953

VALVE CONTROL FOR OIL HEATERS I Filed Jan. 1, 1944 5 SheetsSheet 1 gINVENTOR.

RT G. JOHNSON ATTOENEY Jan. 28, 1947.

H. G5 JOHNSON 4,953

VALVE CONTROL FOR OIL HEATERS Filed Jan. l,' 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. HERBERT G QQHNSON Iii W ATTORNEY Jan. 28, 1947. H. G. JOHNSONVALVE CONTROL FOR OIL EHEATERS Filed Jan. 1, '1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

HERBERT GQouNSou BY} fmaw ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 28, 1947 L UNITEDSTATES PATENT DFFICE 2,4 4953 VALVE CONTROL Fo'n FUEL on. HEATERSHerbert G. Johnson, Haverford Township, Delaware County, Pa., assignorto Zallea Brothers 84 Johnson, Wilmington, DeL, a partnership consistingof James B; Zallea, Sol Zallea, and Herbert G. Johnson ApplicationJanuary 1, 1944, Serial No. 516,609

Claims. (Cl. 257-247) 1 2 This invention relates generally to heatexdown of the main supply of the heating medium, change apparatus andmore particularly to ime. g. the steam. provements in the design,construction and oper- Other objects and advantages of the present atingcharacteristics of apparatus for pre-heating invention to provide forgeneral improvement in fluids, such as oils, by the use of a heating methe design, construction and operating efficiency dium, such as steam,such an apparatus being of heat transfer apparatus of the typehereinshown and described, 'for example, in United before referred towill appear more fully here- States Letters Patent No. 2,243,593,granted May inaiter, it being understood that the present in- 27, 1941,to James P. Zallea. vention consists substantially in the combina- Amongthe principal objects of the present intion, construction, location andrelative arrangevention is to provide in such heat exchange apment ofpar s as described in the following p paratus means for by-passing thefluid to be pre ification, as shown in the a yi g rawheated directlythrough one end of the apparatus, 5 and as finally pointed O in the appd thereby not only avoiding the necessity of interclaimsrupting the flowof the fluid when it is desired to 1 In the accompanying drawings, whichillustrate service or repair the heat-exchanging apparatus, a prefell'edof apparatus constructed in but also rendering it possible to deliverthe fluid accordance w 31.101 embodying theprinciples of as desiredwithout requiring it to be circulated ihepreseht {nventlon thmugh theheat exchanger Figure 1 is an elevational View, with parts thereof shownin section taken along the line i-% of Figure 2, of a heat exchangeapparatus of the present invention, the lay-passing means being shown inposition for directing the fluid through the by-pass conduit;

- Figure 2 is a front elevational view thereof; Figure 3 is a rearelevational view thereof; Figure 4 is a partial view of the apparatus asA further and important object of the invention is to provide in aheat-exchanger by-passing means for the fluid to be pre-heated which isoperative in such manner that the fluid is either directed through theheat-exchanger for circulation through the interconnected heat transfertubes thereof or through a direct passage between 1 designed as toinsure undirectional flow of the m posmon for normal Operatlon of theappa- A :-,0 ratus; fluid selectively either thiough the heat transierFigure 5 is a sectional View taken on the line tubes of the unit orthrough the by-pass conof Figure and Figure 6 is a sectional view takenon the line Still a further and important obJect is to pro- Figure videa by-passing arrangement of the character I Referring now moreparticularly to the draw hereinbeiore described wherein means isprovided ings it Wm be Observed that the apparatus f for relieving theheat-exchanger apparatus of the present invention is in the form of amulany excessive pressures that may buildup in the tiple unitheat-exchanger which essentially conheat-transfer tubes when the fluidis being delivsists of a plurality f units s H z and 3 of Bred throughthe lily-Passing conduit this means in similar construction disposed inlaterally spaced being operative automatically to vent the fluid inpairs arranged in erti ally spaced mt the heat-transfer t bes to the y-pconduit Thus, the units ill and H, comprising one of the S o thePressure f the i in the tubes laterally spaced pairs thereof, arevertically 068d t a O e fluid being y-p spaced with respect to thelaterally spaced pair Another and portant Object o e pr s n of similartubes I2 and I3. However, it will be invention is to provide valve meansfor controlnder tood th t the general arrangement and g the p y o theheating fluid, such a Steam, relative disposition of these tube units Itto I3 to the individual steam injection tubes of the may be ri d, as d dt t difier nt heat exchange pp the Valve means b ng stallationconditions and space limitations.

of such arrangement that any one or more of the so Generally, each ofthese tube units it) to It steam injection tubes may be so cut-off fromincludes a main conduit It for conducting th m pp y of Steam as toprovide for acthrough the heat exchange apparatus the fluid, curatecontrol and variation of the heat transsuch asoil, which is to bepre-heated, the forfer ratio between the heating medium and the wardends of these main conduits M being suitfluid to be heated withoutnecessitating throttling ably secured, as at 15, Within a verticallydisposed supporting plate I6, these tubes I 4 being further supported inthe fixed relation shown by means of one or more longitudinally spacedsupporting members I1.

Immediately associated with the plate I6 is a second plate I8, the innerface of which is recessed to provide communicating passages between theforward ends of the conduits I4 01 the tube units I and II, as well asbetween the forward ends of the conduits I4 of the tube units I2 and I3.The rear end of the conduit Id of the tube unit I!) is provided with alateral opening I9 in communication with the oil inlet connection 26,while the rear end of the conduit I4 of the tube unit I3 is similarlyprovided with a lateral opening 2I in communication with the oil outletconnection 22. The rear ends of the outer main conduits of the tubeunits I I and I2 communicate with each other by way of aninterconnecting conduit 23 (see Figure 3), in view of which it will beapparent that the fluid, such as oil, to be pre-heated, may be caused tocirculate through the heat-exchanging apparatus as follows: through theintake 20, thence forwardly through the main conduit of the tube unitIll, thence by way of the recess 23 in the plate I8 to the main conduitof the tube unit II and rearwardly through said conduit to the rear endof the main conduit of the tube unit I2, thence forwardly of said latterconduit and by way of the recess 24 in the plate I8 to the front end ofthe main conduit of the tube unit I3, and thence rearwardly of thislast-mentioned conduit to the outlet connection 22. The fluid to beheated, which is delivered to the heatexchanger apparatus by the inletconnection 20 and discharged therefrom by way of the outlet connection22, is thus normally caused to circulate through the units I0, II, I2and I3 in the order named, successive pairs of these units being inconnection with one another by way of the connecting passages 23 and 24provided in the inner face of the tube plate I8.

This tube plate I8 constitutes the support for a plurality of finnedheat radiating tubes 25, each of these tubes being disposedconcentrically within the outer main conduit I4 of each of the tubeunits I9, II, I2 and I3. As appears most clearly in Figures 1 and 4, theouter or rear extremities of each of the finned tubes 25 is closed, I

therefrom and supported in position by an outer plate or head 30. Thechamber 28, with which the forward ends of the heat radiating tubes 25commonly communicate, is provided with one or more discharge ports 3|.In the arrangement of Figure 1, two such ports 3| are shown.

Supported by the diaphragm plate 29 are a plurality of steam injectiontubes 32 which respectively extend interiorly of and are disposedconcentrically within the finned heat radiating tubes 25, these steaminjection tubes being each open at both ends thereof, as at 33 and 34,the front ends 35 of these tubes being all in communication with achamber 35 provided between the diaphragm plate 29 and the outer orfront head 30. This latter chamber 35 is preferably formed by providingthe said head 30 with a recess in the rear face thereof which is closedby the diaphragm plate 29, the main plates I6, I8 and 30 being securelyclamped together by a plurality of circumferentially spaced securingbolts 36. The outer head 30 is provided with an opening 3'. constitutinga steam inlet to the chamber 35,

In the normal operation of the heat-exchanger apparatus as justdescribed, steam employed as the heating medium is introduced to theapparatus by Way of the inlet 37, while the liquid to be pre-heated,such as oil, is introduced by way of the inlet connection 20, the heattransference from the heatin medium to the fluid to be heated beingeffected by circulating both fluids continuously through the apparatus.The steam which is supplied by way of the inlet 3'! enters steam chamber35 and is commonly delivered therefrom into the inner steam injectiontubes 32. The steam so delivered into the tubes 32 discharges from therear open ends 34 thereof against the closed ends 26 of the heatradiating tubes 25 and is returned by the latter into the chamber 28from whence it is finally discharged by way of the steam outlets 3 I.

The oil to be heated, which is introduced into the apparatus by way ofthe inlet 20, traverses the annular spaces formed between the finnedheat radiating tubes '25 and the outer main conduits I4, the oil beingcirculated through the apparatus by way of the tube units I0, I I, I2and I3 in the order named, for final discharge therefrom by way of theoil outlet 22.

As has been pointed out herein'before, it is among the objects of thepresent invention to provide in the heat-exchanger of the characterdescribed, means for by-passing the oil through a passage extendingdirectly from the oil inlet 20 to the oil outlet 22, such lay-passing ofthe oil being effected without necessitating disruption of the off lineleading from the source of its supply to the point of its applicationand use. As will presently appear, this by-passing arrangement is soincluded in the heat-exchanger apparatus as a part thereof as to enablethe oil to be by-passed with respect to the heat-exchanger apparatuswithout necessitating removal of the apparatus from the oil line. Infact, the arrangement is such that upon suitable operation of theby-passing means, the heat-exchanger apparatus per so may be completelydismantled for purposes of maintenance, service and repair without anyinterruption in the supply of oil through its main feeder line.Essentially, the by-passing means is of such construction and operationas to permit the oil to be readily diverted from its normal circulatorypath through the heat-exchanger apparatus to and through a path of flowextending directly between the inlet and outlet connections of theheat-exchanger apparatus;

The means for effecting this desired by-passing operation is of theconstruction and operation now to be described. As most clearly appearsin Figures 1 and 4 to 6, the rear portions of the outer main conduits IiI4 of the vertically spaced tube units Ill and I3 are connectedtogether by a vertically extending passage 40, pref erably formed byproviding each of said conduits with registering elliptical openings Mand 42 and then interconnecting said openings by an elliptically shapedtube 43. Both of the conduits I-il4 so connected together by theintercommunicating elliptical passage 40 are respectively provided withannular valve seats M and 45, each of which is disposed immediately tothe rear of the closed end 26 of the finned heat radiating tube 25disposed within the particular oil conduit It. The conduit I4 of. thetube unit I0 is additionally provided with a second rearwardly spacedannular valve seat 46.

The rear extremities of the oil conduits l4-I4 of the tube units In and[3 are each closed in any suitable manner, and each carries a rearwardlyprojecting arbor 4'! having a centrally disposed internally threadedbearing 48 for a threaded valve stem. These valve stems, respectivelydesignated by the numerals 49 and 55, ex tend axially through suitablestuffing boxes provided in the rear ends of the said conduits l4--l4 andare respectively provided at their forward ends with valve members 52and 53. The valve member 52 is of the single seating type for coactionwith the annular valve seat 44, while the valve 53 is of the doubleseating type for selective coaction with either of the annular valveseats 45 or 46. Suitable hand wheels 54 are provided at the outer rearextremities of the valve stems 49 and 50 for operation thereof, and inorder to insure synchronous operation of the valves, the valve stems arejoined together for common actuation thereof by either one of the handwheels 54 through the medium of a sprocket chain 55 and sprocket gears56 respectively secured to the valve stems.

In the operation of the oil flow control valves, it will be apparentthat when these valves are positioned as shown in Figure 4, wherein thevalve 53 is closed upon its rearmost seat 56 and both 4 valves 52 and 53are entirely free of their respective valve seats 44 and 45, the oilentering the inlet of the heat-exchanger apparatus is caused tocirculate through the several tube units thereof for final dischargetherefrom by way of the outlet 22. Inasmuch as the passage through thevalve seat 46 is closed by the valve 53, no part of the oil may passthrough the apparatus otherwise than as just described. However, whenthe valves are moved into their positions as shown in Figure 1, thecirculation of the oil through the tube units H), H, l2 and i3 isinterrupted and the oil can then pass from the inlet to the outlet 22 ofthe apparatus only by way of the by-pass connection 45, as indicated bythe arrows in Figure 1.

In order to relieve the oil circulating tubes of the heat-exchangerapparatus of any excessive pressures that may develop therein when thevalves 52 and 53 are closed, as shown in Figure 1, any suitable meansmay be provided in association with the valve 52 for permitting it to beopened under such excessive pressure and so vent the oil contained inthe circulating tubes into the discharge connection 22 of the apparatus.suitable means for so relieving such pressure is illustrated in Figures1 and 4 wherein it will be observed that the valve stem 49 isconstructed of two parts and 45 the part 49 having secured thereto acylinder or the like 51, into the forward end of which projects the part49 of the valve stem. This part 49* carries a piston element 58 betweenwhich and the rear end of the piston casing is disposed a coiledcompression spring 59. It will be apparent that if any excessive oilpressure develops within the tube unit I3, such pressure will cause thevalve 52 to move rearwardly of its seat 44 against the pressure of thespring 43, thereby affording relief for any such excessive pressure, thebias of the coiled spring 59 being normally sufficient to maintain thevalve 52 closed so long as the pressure of the oil contained in the tubeunit I3 does not exceed that which flows through the by-pass conduit.Due to the fact that the valve stems 49 and 5b are eared together forsynchronous operation, it will be apparent that there is no possibilityof the valve 52 being closed without at the same time closing the valve53, or of the valve 53 being opened without at the same time opening thevalve 52. But even should the opening of the valve 52 lag somewhatbehind the opening of the valve 53, the relief means operativelyassociated with the valve 52 is sufiicient to preclude the building upof any excessive pressure in the oil circulating tubes of the apparatus.

Referring now to the front end of the heat exchange apparatus as shownmore particularly in Figure 1, it will be observed that the front plate30 of the steam chest 35 supports a plurality of valve members 6|] whichare selectively operable to control the passage of steam into theseveral steam injection tubes 32. To this end, each of these tubes 32 issuitably provided at its outer steam receiving end with an annular valveseat 6! which is adapted to be engaged by a corical valve member 62fitted on the inner end of a valve stem 63. This valve stem 63, whichcarries at its outer end an operating hand wheel 64, is threaded orotherwise supported for axial movement within a bearing member 65removably secured within the plate 30. A suitable stuffing box 56 isprovided, as shown, for preventing the escape of steam from the steamchamber 35 outwardly by way of the valve stem 63. Preferably, thebearing members 65 for the several valve members are threaded into theplate 30 for ready removal therefrom and are of such dimension that whenremoved from the plate 30, they afford openings of sufficient size toprovide for ready access to the steam injection tubes 32 and permit thewithdrawal therethrough, if desired, of the steam injection tubes forpurposes of repair and replacement.

It will be apparent that the provision of these valve members forselectively controlling the supply of steam to th individual steaminjection tubes 32 renders it possible to regulate and accuratelycontrol the temperature of the fluid to be heated by the apparatus as itcirculates through the several tube units thereof, all withoutnecessitating any changes or adjustments of the temperature and pressureof the steam at its source of supply to the steam chamber 35. Thus,should it be desired to utilize the heat exchange apparatus so as toheat the fluid circulated therethrough to the fullest possible extentdetermined by the temperature of the steam supplied to the apparatus,all of the valve members 50 will be opened to thereby permit the steamsupply to the chamber 35 to freely enter all of the steam injectiontubes 32. On the other hand, should it be desired to attain for thefluid circulating through the heat exchange apparatus a lowertemperature without effecting any corresponding reduction in thetemperature and pressure of the steam supplied from its source, it onlybecomes necessary to operate one or more of the valve member 50 to closetheir associated steam injection tubes 32 against the supply of steamtherethrough.

It will be understood, of course, that the apparatus of the presentinvention is susceptible of various changes and modifications which maybe made from time to time without departing from the general principlesor real spirit thereof, and it is accordingly intended to claim the samebroadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by the appended claims.

7 What is claimed as new and useful is: 1. In a heat exchangingapparatus of the type including a plurality of interconnected fluidcirculating tubes through which a fluid to be heated may be continuouslycirculated and including also fluid inlet and outlet connections in communication with corresponding ends of one pair of said tubes, 3, by-passconduit interconnecting said pair of tubes to provide free passageextending directly between said fluid inlet and out-- let connections, apair of valves disposed in said pair of tubes to close the same againstcommunication with said inlet and outlet connections whereby to rendersaid by-pa s conduit effective to direct the fluid therethrough, one ofsaid pair of tubes being provided with a pair of spaced valve seats andthe valve associated with said last-mentioned tube being adapted toselectively engage one or the other of said valve seats where by todirect the flow of fluid either through the circulating tubes or throughthe by-pass conduit, the other of said pair of tubes being provided witha single valve seat engageable by the other of said valves, and meansfor insuring synchronous operation of both valves whereby to provide forsimultaneous opening or closing of the said of said pair of tubes.

2. In a heat exchanging apparatus of the character described, incombination, a plurality of fluid circulating tubes arranged in pairsand connected in series, the corresponding ends of one pair of which arerespectively in communication with fluid inlet and outlet connections,the fluid inlet tube being proivded with a pair of axially spaced valveports disposed to either side of the fluid inlet connection and thefluid outlet tube being provided with a single valve port disposed toone side of the fluid outlet connection and corresponding to one of saidfirst-mentioned pair of valve ports, a pair of valves operativelyassociated with said valve ports and shiftable in one direction tosimultaneously engage the corresponding valve ports to close the tubesagainst circulation of fluid therethrough, and a fluid by-passinterconnecting said fluid inlet and outlet connections to permit theflow of fluid directly therethrough by way of the other of said pair ofaxially spaced valve ports.

3. In a heat exchanging apparatus of the character desc ibed, incombination, a plurality of fluid inlet connection and the fluid outlettube being provided with a single valve port disposed to one side of thefluid outlet connection and corresponding to one of said first-mentionedpair of valve ports, a pair of valves operatively associated with saidvalve ports and shiftable in one direction to simultaneously engage thecorresponding valve ports to close the tubes against circulation offluid therethrough, and a fluid bypass interconnecting said fluid inletand outlet connection to permit the flow of fluid directly therethroughby Way of the other of said pair of axially spaced valve ports, saidvalves being shiftable in the opposite direction to simultaneously opensaid corresponding valve ports for the circulating tubes and close thevalve port coinmunicatin with said by-pass whereby to direct the fluidthrough all of said circulating tubes in series.

4. In a heat exchanging apparatus as defined in claim 2 whereinexternally accessible means are provided for effectin synchronousactuation of said pair of valves to set the same for fluid flow eitherthrough all of the circulating tubes in series or through the by-pass.

5. In a heat exchanging apparatus of the character described, incombination, a plurality of parallel fluid circulating tubes, throughwhich a fluid to be heated may be continuously circulated, one pair ofsaid tubes being terminal tubes and the remaining tubes beingintermediate tubes, heating means disposed interiorly of said tubes,supporting means for tubes and heating means one end of said tubes, saidsupporting means providing inter-communication between said terminaltubes and the intermediate tubes and pro-- viding access to said heatingmeans, one of said terminal tubes having inlet and the other an outletat the opposite end, a by-pass conduit interconnecting said terminaltubes at their inlet and outlet ends to provide a free passage extendingdirectly between said inlet and outlet, a pair of valves operativelyassociated with said terminal tubes at their inlet and outlet end toclose the same against communication with said inlet and outlet torender said bypass conduit effective to direct the fluid therethrough,one of said terminal tubes being provided with a pair of spaced valveseats and the valve associated with said last mentioned tube beingadapted to selectively engage one or the other of said valve seats todirect the flow of fluid either through the circulating tubes or throughthe by-pass conduit, and means for the synchronous operation of bothvalves to provide for simultaneous opening or closing,

HERBERT G. JOHNSON.

